In Australia Christianity appears far less invasive than it does in the U.S.
Over relatively recent periods we have had two self declared Prime Ministers, Bob Hawke and Julia Gillard. I am not sure of exactly what Obama claims to be.
Could a self declared atheist become U.S. president.
I am not heavily into politics, but having utilized this forum for going on four years it appears that atheists in the U.S are criticized much more than down here.
Seemingly the Republicans are more Christian oriented, or am I misjudging them?
I am a strong advocate for the separation of Church and state as detailed in your constitution.
Here our current P.M. is a catholic, once labelled 'the mad monk', but even he does not push religious issues too strongly. Any self proclaimed atheist candidates out ther in your country?

Sadly shit-ton of them. President likes to suck up to clergy, former prime minister was saying that he does not bows before clergy, and sure he doesen't bow he kneeled, minister of justice heard screams of frozen embryos. I could write and write and still idiocy of polish politicians wouldn't be covered. Here sucking up to clergy is standard part of political campaign.

The first revolt is against the supreme tyranny of theology, of the phantom of God. As long as we have a master in heaven, we will be slaves on earth.

Obama says he is a xtian but who knows. No way an open agnostic/atheist would be elected of the population trusts a rapist more than an atheist.

"If we are honest—and scientists have to be—we must admit that religion is a jumble of false assertions, with no basis in reality.
The very idea of God is a product of the human imagination."
- Paul Dirac

The following 2 users Like The Organic Chemist's post:2 users Like The Organic Chemist's postMr Woof (20-05-2015), pablo (22-05-2015)

Atheists remain at the bottom of the barrel for must trusted or most willing to vote for in a presidential election. The percentage over the years has risen but it's still the lowest, just below muslims.

The US recently HAD an open atheist in congress, but he was a long time representative in California who had come out mid his run. He still did win elections being acknowledged as an atheist but he recently lost an election to a younger candidate. So far there isn't anyone else, there are some people speculate to be atheists based on comments but not ones that proclaim it.

"Allow there to be a spectrum in all that you see" - Neil Degrasse Tyson

Atheists remain at the bottom of the barrel for must trusted or most willing to vote for in a presidential election. The percentage over the years has risen but it's still the lowest, just below muslims.

The US recently HAD an open atheist in congress, but he was a long time representative in California who had come out mid his run. He still did win elections being acknowledged as an atheist but he recently lost an election to a younger candidate. So far there isn't anyone else, there are some people speculate to be atheists based on comments but not ones that proclaim it.

In Australia we have a rather new Secular Party who haven't startled too much.
The Greens have some influence in the Senate along with a few Independents.
At recent elections the preferential system saw a huge number of candidates, single issue parties, mixing up their preferences with some strange results happening.
Basically the two entrenched parties Labour and Liberal (pretty similar) run the show.

(20-05-2015 03:49 PM)Mr Woof Wrote: Here our current P.M. is a catholic, once labelled 'the mad monk', but even he does not push religious issues too strongly.

I object to that statement!

He might not be publicly blatant about it, but he damn-well pushes it!

His illegal funding of the School Chaplaincy program, and it's deliberate exclusion of secular works shows that pretty clearly.

The people closely associated with the namesake of female canines are suffering from a nondescript form of lunacy.
"Anti-environmentalism is like standing in front of a forest and going 'quick kill them they're coming right for us!'" - Jake Farr-Wharton, The Imaginary Friend Show.

He might not be publicly blatant about it, but he damn-well pushes it!

His illegal funding of the School Chaplaincy program, and it's deliberate exclusion of secular works shows that pretty clearly.

I remember seeing a discussion about that funding on qanda.
Wasn't it about $250,000,00?

That's about right.

The people closely associated with the namesake of female canines are suffering from a nondescript form of lunacy.
"Anti-environmentalism is like standing in front of a forest and going 'quick kill them they're coming right for us!'" - Jake Farr-Wharton, The Imaginary Friend Show.